Next time you're thinking about being in candidate purgatory, remember that some MECEP students don't get commissioned until THREE YEARS after they finish OCS. That's a healthy little wait to crush your spirit.
Anyway, I agree that OCS didn't have all the pomp and circumstance surrounding it like the depot did. Of course, if you go to Brown Field they tell you, this is where we screen candidates to become Marine officers. Nothing fancy or frilly. However, you may hear either depot referred to as a "showplace of the Marine Corps". That can't even be argued. I enjoyed MECEP Prep for the simple fact that I was finally on a base (MCRD SD) that took extreme pride in its appearance (for recruit graduation) and functionality (training recruits). Not saying other places aren't nice. But other bases I've been are (rightfully so) more concerned with keeping training areas in usable condition, mission capability, and security, than cutting the grass twice each week.
I'm sure I was going somewhere with this......okay. I definitely felt more of a change from boot camp than OCS. But I went to boot camp at age 17 and OCS at age 27. So I had matured a little in between. At boot camp I was a country bumpkin raised on a dairy farm, looking like a beach ball with lips. At OCS I was a little smaller, a lot older, and a little quicker on my feet. So it wasn't the culture shock that I experienced at San Diego. But I did learn from it.
Anyway, I keep getting further and further off topic. Threadjack stops......here.
